Sample removing apparatus



Nov. 6., 1962 J. R. WICOFF 3,062,056

SAMPLE REMOVING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORJOHN R. WICOFF BY ATTORNEY Nov.

6, 1962 J. R. wlcoFF SAMPLE REMOVING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24, 1958 22FIG.2

l8 l0 6 2 24 1 38 Fla: 72

46 FIG.5

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IOO BY wmcfim ATTORNEY ited tats tet This invention isdirected to the problem of transferring flowable material from areservoir container to a sample container. It resides, as indicated, ina pump apparatus and sample container and, more particularly, relates toa novel structure and combination of parts thereof.

Removal of parts of flowable materials from a reservoir to serve asrepresentative samples thereof for analysis in determining the conditionof the materials such as fluids or powders is a necessary procedure intesting such materials undergoing chemical and physical changes. Thus toname a few of many, samples are taken of a lubricating liquid in bearingreservoirs; samples are taken of a coolant in an electrical transformerto determine the dielectric quality of the coolant in the transformer;samples are taken of powders to determine the homogeneity of suchmaterials in its larger bulk. In the broad field of chemistry, testingrepresentative samples of compounds is a necessary procedure inmanufacturing processes.

The present invention has as its object the provision of a pumpingapparatus which easily and effectively removes a representative sampleof flowable material directly from a reservoir container to a samplecontainer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pumping apparatus, thepumping element of which will not be contaminated by the materialtransferred.

Still another object is to provide a sample removing pump apparatuswhich is economical to manufacture and easily portable.

Accordingly, the preferred embodiment of this inven tion is illustratedin the accompanying drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of this invention shown in perspective and inoperative relationship,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the pump apparatus of this inventionsectioned along its longitudinal axis,

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the piston head,

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the piston head,

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the transfer nozzle of this invention shownin section along its longitudinal axis and taken at right angles to theview shown in FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the transfer nozzle of this invention shownin section along its longitudinal axis and fitted with a connectingadaptor and FIGURE 7 is a similar view showing the transfer nozzlefitted with another connecting adaptor.

The pump of my invention, designated generally by the numeral 2 iscomprised of an elongated cylindrical chamber 4 having internallythreaded ends 6 and 8. Top end 6 is screw fitted with a cap 10 which hasa central bore 12 therethrough and serves to guide the piston rod 14 inits reciprocating movement. Additional bores 16 and 18 may be providedin cap 10 to serve as vents. Piston rod 14 is fitted with a piston head20 hereinafter described and handle 22. The other end of cylindricalchamber 4 is provided with a closure 24 having fluid transfer passages,which for purposes of this description, will be referred to as transfernozzle 24. Transfer nozzle 24 is provided with external threads 26 atone end so that it may be threadedly fitted to the bottom end 8 ofcylinder chamber 4 and made airtight at said connection with seal 28.The other end of the transfer nozzle 24 is formed with an annular recess30 having screw engaging grooves or threads 32 in the infacing Wallthereof to threadedly receive the neck of the sample container 34. Aseal 36 is fitted at the seat of the annular recess 30 so that when theneck of the sample container 34 is tightened against seal 36, anairtight connection is made. Exhaust passages 38 extending throughtransfer nozzle 24 allows removal of air from the sampler container 34to the cylinder chamber 4. The end of the transfer nozzle 24 which isthreadedly fitted to the cylinder chamber 4 is shaped with a slightconical depression 40 and is provided with a threaded screw hole 42 atthe center thereof. A matching shaped conical leaf valve 44 ispositioned in conical depression 40 and secured therein by means of ascrew 45 screwed in hole 42. Leaf valve 44 covers exhaust passages 39and serves to regulate the flow of air therethrough. A threaded bore 46is formed in the peripheral side wall of the transfer nozzle 24 andextends to the center thereof. A central vertical bore 48 in nozzle 24communicating with the threaded bore 46 forms a passage from the side ofnozzle 24 to the end of said nozzle which extends into the neck of thesample container 34. Threaded bore 46 is fitted with hose 50 by means ofcou pliug 52.

Though any air evacuating piston head may be employed, I prefer a pistonhead 20 having a bottom side 54 circular in plan and dimensioned toallow a flow clearance 55 between the periphery thereof and the cylinderchamber 4. The top side 56 is non-circular in plan; I have shown itsubstantially square in shape. The peripheral wall 58 of the piston isshaped with a sloped contour. Piston ring 61 is formed of a flexiblematerial such as rubber or a plastic material and is positioned on thesloped peripheral wall 58 of the piston 20. Piston ring 61 is axiallymovable between the circular bottom side 54 of the piston and thenon-circular top side 56 and functions as a seal between the cylinderand piston when the piston is moving in one direction and as a non-sealwhen the piston is moving in the opposite direction.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate modified means of connecting the pumpapparatus 2 and sample container 34. It will be noted that for theseadaptors I provide threads in the central vertical bore 48 in which isthreaded a short nipple 62. The adaptor 64 as illustrated in FIGURE 6 iscomprised of a grommet 66 formed from rubber or other like suitablematerial fitted on a metallic tube 68. Said tube 68 and grommet 66 areformed in the general shape of a conical frustum. The shank 70 ofgrommet 66 is provided with external threads 72 which engage internalthreads 32 of the transfer nozzle 24 with a seal fit. The body portionof the grommet 66 flares radially outward with a smooth contour so thatupon being held against the mouth of a sample container a seal fit maybe effected.

The base of tube 68, when the adaptor 64 is screw fitted into thetransfer nozzle 24 as above described, encompasses exhaust passages 38.The other end of said tube slidably fits over threads 78 of nipple 62.Threads 78 do not function as such with this adaptor but serves as abrace for the flexible grommet 66 and the convolution of the threadsprovide a passage for the air which is exhausted from the samplecontainer. To provide a freer passage for said air, I prefer to slit thethreads at several equally spaced points as at 80.

The principal advantage of this adaptor is that the pump apparatus 2 maybe used in a non-threaded engagement with sample containers of variedsize mouth openings.

Another means of connecting the pump apparatus 2 to to provide passagesfor the air exhausted from the sample container. A seal 92 is providedbetween adaptor 82 and transfer nozzle 24 so that when the adaptor istightened on nipple 62, an air tight connection is made'thereat. Steppedbores 84 and 88 are provided with threads 94 and 96 respectively, andare formed to engage the threads of the sample container neck. Seals 93and 100 are fitted at the bases of the respective bores 84 and 88 toprovide a seal fit between the sample container and the adaptor 82. Itwill be noted that the bores 84 and 88 have ditferent diameters,therefore, the adaptor 82 may be connected to the transfer nozzle 24 sothat either bore 84 or 88 may receive the sample container neck. Severalsuch adaptors having varied size bores may be provided to connect tomost sample containers having different size necks.

In using my invention as a sample removing apparatus, I submerge thefree end of hose 50 into the material or liquid of which a sample isdesired. By manually operating the pump in the conventional manner, Isupport the entire apparatus while evacuating the sample container 34-of air thereby producing a relative vacuum therein. I do thiseffectively because as I move the piston 20 upwardly, the piston ring 61which has friction contact with the cylinder chamber 4 seals the flowclearance 55 between said cylinder and the circular bottom side 54 ofthe piston 20. During this stroke, the sloping peripheral Wall 58 of thepiston 20 constantly urges the piston ring 61 against the cylinder wallthereby providing an excellent seal. The uwardly moving piston 20withdraws the air from the sample container 34 through exhaust passages38 of the transfer nozzle 24. The flexible leaf valve 44 is lifted atits periphery allowing the free flow of air therearound. When the piston20 is pushed downwardly in the cylinder chamber 4, the piston seal 61rides downwardly against the non-circular top side 56 of piston 20. Thepiston 20 will, in its downward travel, increase the pressure of the airin the cylinder before said piston. This increase in pressure will causethe leaf valve 44 to close against the exhaust passages 38 and preventany air from returning into the sample container. The air before thepiston 20 will escape through the flow clearance 55 between the bottomside 54 of piston 20 and the cylinder chamber 4 and take the pathbetween the slope peripheral wall 58 and piston ring 61 and through theopenings be tween the circular piston ring 61 and the non-circular topside 56 of piston 20 and evacuate the cylinder chamber 4 through ventholes 16 and 18 provided in cap 10.

The pumping action above described is continued until a substantialvacuum is produced in the sample container 34, the bores 46 and 48, andthe hose 50 all of which communicate with the interior of said samplecontainer. With this pressure condition existing in the system, theatmospheric pressure will cause the material or liquid to flow throughthe tube 50, through the bores 46 and 48 of the transfer nozzle 24 andinto the sample container 34.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my improved sample removingapparatus will quickly and effectively remove a sample of any flowablematerial from a reservoir to the sample container without coming incontact with the moving elements of this apparatus.

Although I have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I intend to cover as well any change or modification thereinwhich may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for removing a sample of flowable material from areservoir to a container comprising the combination of;

a pump comprising a cylinder and a piston reciprocable therein adaptedto produce a vacuum in said cylinder;

a nozzle having a peripheral side wall and opposed ends, one of saidends being adapted for connection to said cylinder, said peripheral sidewall forma continuation of said cylinder, the other of said ends formedwith an annular rescess therein, said other end having an infacing walland a core provided by said annular recess, said nozzle having apassageway therethrough communicating said one end thereof and saidannular recess, a leaf valve means over said passageway at said one endto allow atmospheric evacuation from said annular recess to saidcylinder, at second passageway in said core, a third passageway in saidperipheral side wall opening in said second passageway in said nozzle; atubular extension having one end thereof releasably connecting said corein said second passageway and a terminal end; and

a hollow grommet having a shank end, a terminal end, and a seal contactsurface therebetween, said shank end releasably connecting said infacingwall in said annular recess, said terminal end of said grommet beingcoterminous with said terminal end of said tubular extension and beinglaterally braced thereby, and venting means itherebetween to allowatmospheric evacuation from said container to said annular recess.

2. An apparatus for removing a sample of flowable material from areservoir to a container having a necked opening comprising thecombination of;

a piunp comprising a cylinder and a piston reciprocable therein adaptedto produce a vacuum in said cylinder; a nozzle having a peripheral sidewall and opposed ends, one of said ends being adapted for connection tosaid cylinder, said peripheral side wall forming a continuation of saidcylinder, the other of said ends formed with an annular recess therein,said other end having an infacing wall and a core provided by saidannular recess, said nozzle having a passageway therethroughcommunicating said one end thereof and said annular recess, a leaf valvemeans over said passageway at said one end to allow atmosphericevacuation from said annular recess to said cylinder, a secondpassageway in said core, a third passageway in said peripheral side wallopening in said second passageway in said nozzle; a tubular extensionhaving one end thereof releasably connecting said core in said secondpassageway and a threaded terminal end; and

a connecting member having end bores adapted for reversible applicationto the necked opening of said container, a threaded intermediate borefor connecting engagement with said terminal end of said tubularextension, and vent passages for by-passing said connecting engagementto allow atmospheric evacuation from said container to said annularrecess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,029,232 Schaefer et al. June 11, 1912 1,154,269 Penna Sept. 21, 19151,209,944 De Rigne Dec. 26, 1916 1,249,709 Baluta Dec. 11, 19171,762,057 Gates et al. June 3, 1930 1,834,453 Gavaza Dec. 1, 19312,059,175 Myracle Oct. 27, 1936 2,355,620 Bower et al Aug. 15, 19442,458,508 Goetz Jan. 11, 1949 2,596,560 Johnson May 13, 1952 2,624,566Caramelli Jan. 6, 1953 2,660,063 Sawers Nov. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS2,194 Great Britain Jan. 27, 1914 149,461 Switzerland Sept. 15, 1931

